“I would never surgically alter my body,” I declared at age 19,in that youthfully ignorant way of someone whose curves and facialfeatures still effortlessly defied gravity.

Now, at age 46, I understand why the older women at the tablethat evening rolled their eyes.

I haven't gone under the knife (yet) but I have spent the lastyear and a half working hard on diet and exercise in an attempt tonot only regain some of my appeal, but also improve my health. Ididn't just cut back on sweets and start jogging again; to produceactual results, I had to try something new. Desperate times callfor desperate measures. We're talking thousands of squats, lungesand burpees. Burpees!

It's time credit unions put that kind of effort into amakeover.

The 1960s routine just doesn't cut it anymore. Yes, deposits,assets, loans and even memberships are growing, but only at thenation's largest credit unions – the ones that can afford to havework done.

Americans continue to find the nation's largest 100 banksappealing. What do they see in them? Are they willing to be treatedbadly in favor of a pretty face?

Yes, they are.

Plus, every year new sexy, nonbank competitors catch the eye ofconsumers. It doesn't seem that long ago when new kid on the blockPayPal was only a mild threat. Now, unbundled payment apps likeApple Pay, Facebook Messenger, Square, Tilt and Dwolla (thank god,one of ours) perform exotic moves like P2P and crowd fundingeffortlessly, like twerking teenagers.

Meanwhile, most credit unions can barely launch a mobile appwithout throwing out their backs.

They say spot exercise doesn't work, but credit unions couldtackle two problem areas – charter and technology – and seeimpressive results.

The NCUA board and staff, bless their hearts, are trying tohelp. The agency's field of membership modernization rule willprobably be finalized sometime this summer, and could relaxstatistical area, core area, service facility, contractor and otherrequirements. That's helpful, but it's kind of like growing outyour bangs to cover forehead wrinkles. If you're a woman, you knowthe humidity in Washington makes bangs impossible. The FederalCredit Union Act will ultimately frizz the NCUA's goodintentions.

Meaningful charter makeover has to come from Congress.Americans, especially young ones, no longer relate to common bondslike live, work and worship. They bond in belief and behavior-based communities.

Not only should credit unions offer products and services thatallow millennials to contribute time and money to causes they careabout, the entire membership structure must reflect thismindset.

It's ridiculous that Equality Credit Union, established to servethe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities,still hasn't opened. The cooperative's founders said some creditunions have been unwilling to lend a hand to help fund the millionsof dollars required to adequately capitalize it.

One CEO of a multi-billion dollar credit union told Equalityfounder Phillip Endicott the credit union wasn't necessary becausehis employees have been trained to turn a blind eye todifferences.

Endicott properly observed that was a very old school approachto discrimination. Colorblind is over; these days, people celebratewhat makes them different.

According to a recent Filene report, the LGBTQ community stillfaces financial discrimination.

Yes, LGBTQ Americans join credit unions by qualifying formembership through employment. However, in 29 states Americans canstill legally be fired for being gay. And in those states creditdiscrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identityisn't illegal.

Attitudes in Washington toward gay marriage have changeddrastically. Even former Vice President Dick Cheney said freedommeans freedom for everyone when speaking about his daughter'smarriage to her longtime partner.

Credit unions should ride that political and legal wave toadvance charter reform on Capitol Hill. Asking legislators torewrite the FCUA and eliminate common bond requirements becausecredit unions want to make more capital available to Main Street isa noble approach, but it's not working. The credit union chartershould be modernized because it's what Americans want and needtoday.

Politicians want to engage millennials just like everyone else.Focusing on the issues important to them will beat the bankers.

And on the heels of the Supreme Court's same-sex marriage rulinglast year, no federal judge wants to rule on the wrong side of thatconstitutional right.

Credit unions also need to firm up the way they use technology.It's not just about retail delivery; technology needs to supportcooperative engagement. Perhaps there are credit unions thatconduct online, interactive annual meetings, but after considerableeffort, CU Times couldn't find one. If credit unions wantto serve millennials, they can't expect them to wear a tie to thecountry club and pay for a steak dinner in order to flex theirdemocratic muscles. Entry-level millennials also can't take timeoff from work to attend an annual meeting strategically scheduledduring working hours so nobody shows up to vote out incumbent boardmembers.

Instead, annual meetings should include an option to attend andvote online, not only using desktop computers, but tablets andphones.

Until credit unions have embraced the use of technology to serveeveryone, Congress won't grant them that privilege.